Semiconductor device comprising a surface portion implanted with nitrogen and fluorine

ABSTRACT

A method of fabricating a semiconductor device is provided. A substrate is provided. Thereafter, a dielectric layer is formed on the substrate, wherein the dielectric layer includes a first portion adjacent to the substrate and a second portion adjacent to the first portion. Afterwards, the dielectric layer is treated with nitrogen trifluoride (NF 3 ) to remove the second portion of the dielectric layer and therefore expose the first portion of the dielectric layer. A semiconductor device is also provided.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

The present invention relates to a semiconductor device and a method offabricating the same.

2. Description of Related Art

As the size of a metal oxide semiconductor continues to decrease, therequirement for the quality of a dielectric layer is getting higher. Theconventional dielectric layer is formed with a rough surface havingdefects such as protrusion or recesses therein, so that the roughness ofthe surface of the dielectric layer is high. In the following patterningprocesses such as photolithography and etching processes, the highroughness of the dielectric layer causes poor adhesion between films inthe film stack, or even results in bridge defects, cracks, peeling orleakage current of the device.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a semiconductor device and a method offabricating the same, in which a dielectric layer is formed with lowsurface defect, low surface roughness and high adhesion to anothermaterial layer.

The present invention provides a method of fabricating a semiconductordevice. A substrate is provided. A dielectric layer is formed on thesubstrate, wherein the dielectric layer includes a first portionadjacent to the substrate and a second portion adjacent to the firstportion. The dielectric layer is treated with nitrogen trifluoride (NF₃)to remove the second portion of the dielectric layer and thereforeexpose the first portion of the dielectric layer.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the dielectriclayer includes silicon oxide, silicon nitride, silicon oxynitride or acombination thereof.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the dielectriclayer includes an interlayer dielectric layer, a dielectric layerbetween metal layers or a protection layer.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the step oftreating the dielectric layer with NF₃ includes implanting nitrogen andfluorine into a surface portion of the first portion, so as to form thesurface portion implanted with nitrogen and fluorine.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a thickness ratioof the surface portion implanted with nitrogen and fluorine to the firstportion of the dielectric layer ranges from 1/150 to 1/14.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a thickness of thesurface portion implanted with nitrogen and fluorine ranges from 1 to250 angstroms.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a thickness of thesecond portion ranges from 50 to 1,000 angstroms.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the step oftreating the dielectric layer with NF₃ includes modulating at least oneprocess parameter, and the process parameter includes a radio frequency(RF) power, a flow rate of NF₃, a flow rate of a carrier gas, a flowrate of NH₃, a flow rate of argon, a servo pressure or a combinationthereof.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the carrier gasincludes helium.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the RF power rangesfrom 20 to 200 W.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the flow rate ofNF₃ ranges from 35 to 250 sccm (standard cubic centimeter per minute).

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the flow rate ofthe carrier gas ranges from 20 to 2,400 sccm.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the flow rate ofNH₃ ranges from 0 to 300 sccm.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the flow rate ofargon ranges from 100 to 1,000 sccm.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the method furtherincludes forming at least one material layer on the exposed firstportion of the dielectric layer.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the at least onematerial layer includes an anti-reflection coating layer, a photoresistlayer or a combination thereof.

The present invention further provides a semiconductor device includinga substrate and a dielectric layer. The dielectric layer is disposed onthe substrate and includes a surface portion implanted with nitrogen andfluorine, wherein a thickness ratio of the surface portion to thedielectric layer ranges from 1/150 to 1/14.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the dielectriclayer includes silicon oxide, silicon nitride, silicon oxynitride or acombination thereof.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the dielectriclayer includes an interlayer dielectric layer, a dielectric layerbetween metal layers or a protection layer.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the semiconductordevice further includes at least one material layer disposed on thedielectric layer.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the at least onematerial layer includes an anti-reflection coating layer, a photoresistlayer or a combination thereof.

In view of the above, with the fabricating method of the semiconductordevice of the invention, the surface defects of the dielectric layer canbe effectively removed, the surface roughness of the dielectric layercan be significantly decreased, and the adhesion within the film stackcan be greatly improved. In other words, the dielectric layer of thesemiconductor device of the invention can be formed with low surfacedefect, low roughness and high adhesion to another material layer, sothat the performance of the device can be greatly improved.

In order to make the aforementioned and other objects, features andadvantages of the present invention comprehensible, a preferredembodiment accompanied with figures is described in detail below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings are included to provide a furtherunderstanding of the invention, and are incorporated in and constitute apart of this specification. The drawings illustrate embodiments of theinvention and, together with the description, serve to explain theprinciples of the invention.

FIG. 1A to FIG. 1E are schematic cross-sectional views of a method offabricating a semiconductor device according to an embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart of a method of fabricating a semiconductor deviceaccording to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3A is a defect map of the silicon oxide layer without a NF₃treatment.

FIG. 3B is a defect map of the silicon oxide layer having been treatedwith NF₃.

FIG. 4 is a secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) graph of the siliconoxide layer having been treated with NF₃.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferredembodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in theaccompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers areused in the drawings and the description to refer to the same or likeparts.

FIG. 1A to FIG. 1E are schematic cross-sectional views of a method offabricating a semiconductor device according to an embodiment of thepresent invention. FIG. 2 is a flow chart of a method of fabricating asemiconductor device according to an embodiment of the presentinvention.

Referring to FIG. 1A and FIG. 2, a step 210 in implemented, in which adielectric layer 102 is formed on a substrate 100. The substrate 100 canbe a semiconductor substrate, such as a silicon substrate. The substrate100 can be a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate. The dielectric layer102 can be an interlayer dielectric layer, a dielectric layer betweenmetal layers or a protection layer. The dielectric layer 102 can have asingle-layer or multi-layer structure. The dielectric layer 102 includessilicon oxide, silicon nitride, silicon oxynitride or a combinationthereof. The method of forming the dielectric layer 102 includesperforming a chemical vapor deposition or a coating process.

In an embodiment, the dielectric layer 102 includes a first portion 102a and a second portion 102 b. The first portion 102 a is disposedadjacent to the substrate 100. The second portion 102 b is disposedadjacent to the first portion 102 a. In this embodiment, the secondportion 102 b is disposed on the first portion 102 a. The second portion102 b of the dielectric layer 102 has surface defects 104 in the surfacethereof. The surface defects 104 can be protrusions 104 a or recesses104 b generated during the deposition or coating process of the step offorming the dielectric layer 102. In the figure, the dielectric layer102 is directly in contact with the substrate 100. However, the presentinvention is not limited thereto. In another embodiment, at least oneintermediate layer can be included between the dielectric layer 102 andthe substrate 100. The intermediate layer includes an insulating layer,a conductive layer, a semiconductor layer or a combination thereof.

Referring to FIG. 1B to FIG. 1C and FIG. 2, a step 220 is implemented,in which the dielectric layer 102 is treated with nitrogen trifluoride(NF₃) (as shown in FIG. 1B), to remove the second portion 102 b of thedielectric layer 102 and therefore expose the first portion 102 a of thedielectric layer 102 (as shown in FIG. 1C). During the step of treatingthe dielectric layer 102 with NF₃, silicon atoms within the dielectriclayer 102 are reacted with fluorine atoms from NF₃ to form SiF₄, so asto remove the second portion 102 b of the dielectric layer 102. Besides,the step of removing the second portion 102 b of the dielectric layer102 can simultaneously remove the surface defects 104. The removedthickness of the second portion 102 b ranges from 50 to 1,000 angstroms,for example.

The step of treating the dielectric layer 102 with NF₃ includesmodulating at least one process parameter, and the process parameterincludes a radio frequency (RF) power, a flow rate of NF₃, a flow rateof a carrier gas, a flow rate of NH₃, a flow rate or argon or acombination thereof. In an embodiment, the RF power ranges from 20 to200 W; the flow rate of NF₃ ranges from 35 to 250 sccm; the carrier gasincludes an inert gas, such as helium or argon, the flow rate of heliumranges from 20 to 2,400 sccm, and the flow rate of argon ranges from 100to 1,000 sccm; and the flow rate of NH₃ ranges from 0 to 300 sccm.

In an embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1B and FIG. 1C, the step of treatingthe dielectric layer 102 with NF₃ includes implanting nitrogen andfluorine not only in the second portion 102 b but also in the firstportion 102 a of the dielectric layer 102. Therefore, after the secondportion 102 b and the surface defects 104 are removed from thedielectric layer 102, the surface portion 102 c of the first portion 102a still have nitrogen and fluorine implanted. The thickness ratio of thesurface portion 102 c to the first portion 102 a of the dielectric layer102 ranges from 1/150 to 1/14. In an embodiment, the thickness of thesurface portion 102 c ranges from 1 to 250 angstroms. The surfaceportion 102 c has a nitrogen concentration of 1×10¹⁷ to 2×10¹⁸ atom/cm³and a fluorine concentration of 8×10¹⁹ to 3×10²⁰ atom/cm³.

Referring to FIG. 1D and FIG. 2, a step 230 is implemented, in which atleast one material layer 110 is formed on the exposed first portion 102a of the dielectric layer 102. The material layer 110 can have asingle-layer or multi-layer structure. In an embodiment, the materiallayer 110 can be an anti-reflection coating layer, a photoresist layeror a combination thereof. In an embodiment, the material layer 110includes an insulating layer, a conductive layer, a metal layer or acombination thereof.

Referring to FIG. 1E and FIG. 2, a step 240 is implemented, in which thematerial layer 110 and the dielectric layer 102 are patterned to form apatterned material layer 110 a and a patterned dielectric layer 102 d.The patterning step includes photolithography and etching processes.

Herein, the semiconductor device of the invention is illustrated withreference with FIG. 1E. As shown in FIG. 1E, the semiconductor deviceincludes a substrate 100 and a patterned dielectric layer 102 d disposedon the substrate 100. The patterned dielectric layer 102 d has a surfaceportion 102 e implanted with nitrogen and fluorine. Besides, thethickness ratio of the surface portion 102 e to the patterned dielectriclayer 102 d ranges from 1/150 to 1/14.

FIG. 3A is a defect map of the silicon oxide layer without a NF₃treatment. FIG. 3B is a defect map of the silicon oxide layer havingbeen treated with NF₃.

Referring to FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B, the silicon oxide layer without a NF₃treatment has a surface defect number of 4,193, while the silicon oxidelayer having been treated with NF₃ has a surface defect number of 145.The results show that the NF₃ treatment is beneficial to effectivelyreduce the surface defects.

FIG. 4 is a secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) graph of the siliconoxide layer having been treated with NF₃.

Referring to FIG. 4, upon the NF₃ treatment, the resulting dielectriclayer is analysed with SIMS and the result shows that there existsnitrogen and fluorine at a depth of 1 to 200 angstroms from the surfaceof the dielectric layer. In other words, with the NF₃ treatment of theinvention, the dielectric layer is thinned to remove the surface defectsthereof, and a few amount of nitrogen and fluorine atoms remain in theremaining dielectric layer. The few amount of nitrogen and fluorineatoms do not affect the properties (e.g. dielectric constant orhardness) of the dielectric layer and therefore the performance of thedevice is not influenced.

In summary, in the method of fabricating the semiconductor device of theinvention, the surface defects of the dielectric layer can beeffectively removed, and therefore the surface roughness of thedielectric layer can be significantly decreased. Thus, the processwindow of the following patterning processes such as photolithographyand etching processes can be increased, and bridge defects, cracks,peeling or leakage current of the device can be avoided. Besides, withthe method of the invention, the adhesion of the dielectric layer to thesubsequent film can be greatly improved. In other words, with the methodof the invention, the dielectric layer of the semiconductor device canbe formed with low surface defect, low roughness and high adhesion toanother material layer, so that the performance of the device can begreatly improved.

The present invention has been disclosed above in the preferredembodiments, but is not limited to those. It is known to persons skilledin the art that some modifications and innovations may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore,the scope of the present invention should be defined by the followingclaims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of fabricating a semiconductor device,comprising: providing a substrate; forming a dielectric layer on thesubstrate, wherein the dielectric layer comprises a first portionadjacent to the substrate and a second portion adjacent to the firstportion; and treating the dielectric layer with nitrogen trifluoride(NF₃) to remove the second portion of the dielectric layer and thereforeexpose the first portion of the dielectric layer.
 2. The method of claim1, wherein the dielectric layer comprises silicon oxide, siliconnitride, silicon oxynitride or a combination thereof.
 3. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the dielectric layer comprises an interlayer dielectriclayer, a dielectric layer between metal layers or a protection layer. 4.The method of claim 1, wherein the step of treating the dielectric layerwith NF3 comprises implanting nitrogen and fluorine into a surfaceportion of the first portion, so as to form the surface portionimplanted with nitrogen and fluorine.
 5. The method of claim 4, whereina thickness ratio of the surface portion implanted with nitrogen andfluorine to the first portion of the dielectric layer ranges from 1/150to 1/14.
 6. The method of claim 4, wherein a thickness of the surfaceportion implanted with nitrogen and fluorine ranges from 1 to 250angstroms.
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein a thickness of the secondportion ranges from 50 to 1,000 angstroms.
 8. The method of claim 1,wherein the step of treating the dielectric layer with NF3 comprisesmodulating at least one process parameter, and the process parametercomprises a radio frequency (RF) power, a flow rate of NF₃, a flow rateof a carrier gas, a flow rate of NH₃, a flow rate of argon, a servopressure or a combination thereof.
 9. The method of claim 8, wherein thecarrier gas comprises helium.
 10. The method of claim 8, wherein the RFpower ranges from 20 to 200 W.
 11. The method of claim 8, wherein theflow rate of NF₃ ranges from 35 to 250 sccm.
 12. The method of claim 8,wherein the flow rate of the carrier gas ranges from 20 to 2,400 sccm.13. The method of claim 8, wherein the flow rate of NH₃ ranges from 0 to300 sccm.
 14. The method of claim 8, wherein the flow rate of argonranges from 100 to 1,000 sccm.
 15. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising forming at least one material layer on the exposed firstportion of the dielectric layer.
 16. The method of claim 15, wherein theat least one material layer comprises an anti-reflection coating layer,a photoresist layer or a combination thereof.
 17. A semiconductordevice, comprising: a substrate; a dielectric layer, disposed on thesubstrate and comprising a surface portion implanted with nitrogen andfluorine, wherein a thickness ratio of the surface portion to thedielectric layer ranges from 1/150 to 1/14.
 18. The semiconductor deviceof claim 17, wherein the dielectric layer comprises silicon oxide,silicon nitride, silicon oxynitride or a combination thereof.
 19. Thesemiconductor device of claim 17, wherein the dielectric layer comprisesan interlayer dielectric layer, a dielectric layer between metal layersor a protection layer.
 20. The semiconductor device of claim 17, furthercomprising at least one material layer disposed on the dielectric layer.21. The semiconductor device of claim 20, wherein the at least onematerial layer comprises an anti-reflection coating layer, a photoresistlayer or a combination thereof.